Beer is the world’s oldest and third most consumed alcoholic drink. In fact, it has become something of a tradition in most cultures. Enjoying a beer in the evening with friends or over a football game, or in the local pub, has simply inculcated itself into a way of life. In association with this is the beer stein, something of a tradition in itself. In fact, appreciating good beer in a fine beer stein truly enhances the pleasure of beer-drinking aficionados for these people understand how the right stein really makes the beer-drinking experience.
However, it is crucial to mention that many companies are now creating such beer steins that can be used as a perfect gift. Beer steins can be of many different types, all to suit various different occasions. Some are thematic, others plain and some intricately designed. Beer steins today are not only used for drinking beer but also have quite the ornamental value, as well as historical status.
Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held every year in Munich, Germany where beer-drinking makes up a great part of the annual festivities. It’s one of the world’s biggest fairs and Germany’s most famous event. Over six million people attend it and to commemorate this special occasion, beautiful beer steins are produced which are thematic in relation to this event. One traditional design is to show an Oktoberfest scene with a beer wagon, which is set against the background of the city, complete with banners flying about that say ‘Oktoberfest’ and ‘Munchen’.
Similarly, there are the heritage beer steins, which are used to depict important events in history.These are perfect gifts to be given to a history buff or commemorate special events. Some examples of these are the Bavarian Crest stein, the Black Forest stein or the Denmark Viking stein.
The Bavarian Crest Stein, in particular, is one fine gift for your friend. Raised relief decoration on this particular stein is quite impressive. To enhance its visual appeal, the crowns are created against a blue cobalt background. In addition to this, you can find two beer wagons carved around the bottom. All this combines to create a perfect looking beer stein that is sure to impress its owner.
Specially engraved and embossed steins made out of glass are also popular wedding gifts, some of which are quite delicate and opulent in their design. In the same way, some steins are suited to other special occasions like those tailor-made for them. For example, during a football world-cup, simple steins with the football emblem on them are made available for purchase, building up on the nation’s high spirits at the time and instilling in them a national pride.
For everyday use, there are the mass-produced simple steins with simply a handle and lid, most popularly used in bars and pubs where people socialize after work, or to celebrate an event. In the same way, some steins are custom made to celebrate certain days. They especially make great gifts on birthdays or Christmas. These can be personalized to make them more exclusive.
Steins also have a great ornamental value and are often used as decoration pieces in homes. They are intricately designed and are meant to sit on shelves, not to be used. They are often given as house-warming gifts. They are also suitable for Bar Mitzvahs, Thanksgiving and graduations. In connection with this, some steins are simply collectibles, made in the form of miniature figurines.
To sum it up, German beer steins come in various shapes and sizes and suitable for a variety of occasions.
